Diplomats show support during visit to B92

OSCE Ambassador to Serbia Dimitrios Kypreos and European Commission Delegation led by Vincent Degert and 14 foreign ambassadors have visited B92. The foreign officials visited B92 last year on the same occasion – to condemn threats against reporter Brankica Stankovic who was given police protection. A year later not only that the problem has not been solved but the B92 editor-in-chief has also been given police protection. Diplomats show support during visit to B92 The ambassadors have expressed their solidarity and high level of concern over the situation. They pointed out that B92’s investigative reporting was absolutely necessary in the process of any society’s democratization. They also added that the level of democracy and commitment to European standards would also be assessed in accordance with the attitude toward journalists who reveal corruption and organized crime during their research. “I think that anonymous threats to journalists in Serbia are unacceptable in a modern state. This has to stop. We are here to make those anonymous people who make threats known… Because justice needs to be reached in this case. The freedom of speech is the essence of a modern country,” Kypreos pointed out. “The freedom of the media is the most important pillar of a democratic society,” German Ambassador Wolfgang Maas, French Ambassador Francois-Xavier Deniau and British Ambassador Michael Hayward Davenport concluded. According to them, aside from a prompt reaction of the police and the prosecution, it is also necessary to create a serious media strategy in order to avoid threats. “Unfortunately the situation for investigative projects and journalists is still difficult. I think that B92 presentation is very important so everybody would understand better what is going on in this field and what else should be done,” said Davenport. “I think it is important we came here, to show that we are talking about Europe and European qualities. I don’t think we can have a free society without free media, that’s one of the most important tasks of every society or government,” Maas stressed. “Brankica Stankovic has informed us about the threats that she and B92 journalists are facing. I think that it is a very serious thing because freedom of the press is a basis of every democratic society. In that sense there must not be any threats against persons who do this job,” the French ambassador explained. B92 Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editor-in-Chief Veran Matic thanked the foreign ambassador for the visit, adding that B92 would respond to every form of pressure and threats with more serious development of the investigative journalism and even stronger protection of Serbian citizens’ public interests. U.S. Ambassador Mary Warlick, Spanish Ambassador Inigo de Palacio Espana, Swedish Ambassador Christer Asp, Dutch Ambassador Laurent Stokvis, Danish Ambassador Mette Kjuel Nielsen, Norwegian Ambassador Nils Ragnar Kamsvag, Israeli Ambassador Arthur Koll, Greek Ambassador Dimosthenis Stoidis, Italian Ambassador Armando Varricchio and Finish Ambassador Kari Veijalainen also visited B92. Foreign diplomats visit B92 (B92)

Diplomats show support during visit to B92

The ambassadors have expressed their solidarity and high level of concern over the situation. They pointed out that B92’s investigative reporting was absolutely necessary in the process of any society’s democratization. They also added that the level of democracy and commitment to European standards would also be assessed in accordance with the attitude toward journalists who reveal corruption and organized crime during their research.

“I think that anonymous threats to journalists in Serbia are unacceptable in a modern state. This has to stop. We are here to make those anonymous people who make threats known… Because justice needs to be reached in this case. The freedom of speech is the essence of a modern country,” Kypreos pointed out.

“The freedom of the media is the most important pillar of a democratic society,” German Ambassador Wolfgang Maas, French Ambassador Francois-Xavier Deniau and British Ambassador Michael Hayward Davenport concluded. According to them, aside from a prompt reaction of the police and the prosecution, it is also necessary to create a serious media strategy in order to avoid threats.

“Unfortunately the situation for investigative projects and journalists is still difficult. I think that B92 presentation is very important so everybody would understand better what is going on in this field and what else should be done,” said Davenport.

“I think it is important we came here, to show that we are talking about Europe and European qualities. I don’t think we can have a free society without free media, that’s one of the most important tasks of every society or government,” Maas stressed.

“Brankica Stanković has informed us about the threats that she and B92 journalists are facing. I think that it is a very serious thing because freedom of the press is a basis of every democratic society. In that sense there must not be any threats against persons who do this job,” the French ambassador explained.

B92 Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editor-in-Chief Veran Matić thanked the foreign ambassador for the visit, adding that B92 would respond to every form of pressure and threats with more serious development of the investigative journalism and even stronger protection of Serbian citizens’ public interests.

U.S. Ambassador Mary Warlick, Spanish Ambassador Inigo de Palacio Espana, Swedish Ambassador Christer Asp, Dutch Ambassador Laurent Stokvis, Danish Ambassador Mette Kjuel Nielsen, Norwegian Ambassador Nils Ragnar Kamsvag, Israeli Ambassador Arthur Koll, Greek Ambassador Dimosthenis Stoidis, Italian Ambassador Armando Varricchio and Finish Ambassador Kari Veijalainen also visited B92.